The Physiological Impacts of Homophobia

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The Physiological Impacts of Homophobia
TS-SI
Wednesday, 02 February 2011 15:00


http://ts-si.org/neuroscience/28740-the-physiological-impacts-of-homophobia 🔗


Young adults who are lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) are subject to to newly identified links between self acceptance, stress hormones and bullying. New research shows that affected individuals are at far higher risk for severe mental health problems than their heterosexual peers. This occurs in part because the stress of being rejected or victimized because of sexual orientation may disrupt hormonal responses.

Recently published for his doctorate in clinical psychology, the investigation by Michael Benibgui examined environmental risks and protective factors that counterbalanced them in LGB youth.

"Compared to their heterosexual peers, suicide rates are up to 14 times higher among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school and college students," says Benibgui, who led the work as part of his PhD at Concordia University. "Depression and anxiety are widespread," he says. "To learn why this occurs, we studied the physiological impact of homophobic social environments on a group of healthy young LGB adults."